Indian AJTs in 15 years: IAF chief

TNNAug 21, 2004, 03.46am IST

BANGALORE: Indian Air Force has begun studying the development of an advanced jet trainer to improve the skills of its military pilots and overcome the need to import such aircraft from Britain, Air chief marshal S Krishnaswamy said today.

``In 15 years, an AJT must roll out from production lines,'' Air chief Krishnaswamy told reporters on the sidelines of a military seminar in Bangalore city.

India placed an order for 66 such trainers — Hawk aircraft from British BAE Systems — in March 2004, after the Indian Air Force lost more than 50 pilots in more than 100 crashes in the past six years.

`When the Hawks complete their technical life period, we want to replace them with indigenous AJTs,'' he said, adding it would take about 15 years for state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, based in Bangalore, to begin production of the new aircraft, which is now "progressing towards final design studies'', he said, declining to estimate the cost.

The government must still approve the project. India doesn't have an advanced trainer aircraft to match its combat aircraft. Indian pilots learn on slow-moving trainers, then jump directly to faster and more complicated jets such as Russian-made MiGs.

Meanwhile, India plans joint military exercises with the South African air force in September and with Singapore's air force in October. The Indian Air Force completed joint exercises with the US Air Force in Alaska last week, and will train with again with the US Air Force

and the French Air Force next year, Air chief marshal Krishnaswamy said.